Can-capping machine.



PATENTED OCT. 22, 1907.

E. J. JUDGE.

CAN GAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 2, 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

mm. izan.. x M au 8K WMM/wow@ PATENTED OCT. 22. 1907.

' E. J. JUDGE. I

CAN CAPPING MACHINE.

A APPLICATION FILED PBB.2,1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

/ Mah/M Wifi@ PATENTED 00T. 22. 1907.

E. J. JUDGE.

GAN CAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2, 1907.

62X) i, [S1/Lenco M 7% UNITED STA'IFFSIrEENT OFFICE'.

EDWARD I. JUDGE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

CAN-CAPPING MACHINE.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. JUDGE, Vof the city of San Francisco, inthe county of San Francisco and State of California., .have inventedcertain Improvements in Can-Capping Machines, of which the following isa specification.

f In the description of the said invention which follows, reference ismade to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and in which,

Figure 1 is a partly sectional side view of the improved machine, andFig. 2 a partly sectional plan of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlargedsection of Fig. 1 taken on the dotted line Fig. 4 is anenlarged sectionof Fig. 1 taken on the dotted line y-y. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectionalview of the burner shown in section in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an enlargedexterior side view of a receptacle for soldering uid shown in Fig. 1,and Fig. 7 an enlarged top view of the same, Fig. 8 is an enlargedvertical section ofthe devices whereby soldering fluidis directlyapplied to the crease in the can top prior to the soldering operation.

Referring now to the drawing, 1 is a table supported by thelegs a.

2 isa. circular carrier for the cans to be capped, secured to a shaft 3which is adapted for rotation in a bearing b formed as a part of thetable 1. The cans are represented by X.

4, 4 are can supports, shown as twelve in number, consisting of disksfastened to the upper ends of stems c adapted to have a rotary as wellas a vertical recipro- V eating movement in the circular carrier 2,produced as hereinafter described. f

5, 5 are spur pinions made tight on the stems c and adapted to mesh withteeth onthe periphery of a fixed circular plate 7 (see Fig. 1) which isfastened to the hub of the stationary table 1.

9 is an elevated frame on the rotary central shaft 3 4Which is providedwith a feather whereby the frame will have a rotary movement in commonwith the circular carrier 2, and lis supported by a threaded sleeve 11for purposes of vertical adjustment. The ohce ofthe frame 9 is to carrythe burners 10 which effect the sol dering of the caps to the cans,together with the appliances hereinafter described, which introduce gas,and air under pressure at proper times to the burners to producesoldering flames. The said burners (see Fig. 5) have each an annularchamber 12 for mixed air and gas, and amultiplicity of minute holes dfrom which flames issue.

13 is a head fastened tothe upper end of the hub of i the frame 9, whichis centrally bored .to receive the stationary air cylinder 14, and thegas cylinder 15 which is screwed tightly into the lower end of the aircylinder and closed at the bottom. The air cylinder 14 has a nozzle e toreceive the end of the pipe 17 which leads to a source of supply (notshown) of air under pressure:

Patented oct. 2a, 19o? 19is a Vfixed or stationary gas pipe the lowe1end of which is turned to fit closely in the upper end of the gascylinder 15; and the said pipe being smaller than the inner diameter ofthe air cylinder, there is formed an annular passage g which is incommunication with the radial air ducts h Iinto which are screwed theair pipes Referring particularly to Fig. 5 it willbe seen that at thelower end of each air pipe 20 is a tee j connected at one end by meansof a nipple k to the air chamber 12 of a burner 10; and that the otherend of the tee is united by a gas pipe 21 to a duct m leading to theinterior of the gas cylinder 15. The portion of the gas pipe 21 withinthe tee is made tapered to give a space around it for the passage ofcompressed air which, during certain periods of the operation of themachine mixes with the gar entering the burner.

It is intended that neither the compressed air, n'or the gas shall passcontinuously to the burners, but instead, intermittingly; that the flameproduced by combined gas and compressed air shall,play upon the cansduring a portion only of their revolution around the axis of the centralshaft 3; and that after the flow of gas is cut off the air shallcontinue to blow on the soldered joints to cool them.

To effect the results just described, the slot fn. in the wall of thegas cylinder, which serves as means of communication between theinterior ofthe said cylinder and the pipes 21, is much shorter than theslot o in the wall of the air cylinder which has a. similar functionwith respect to the said cylinder and the pipes 20; and the two slotsare relatively placed sothat in the rotation of the head in .thedirection indicated by the arrows in` until the'pipe reaches theposition C in Fig. 3. The 'slot n is indicated in Fig. 3 by the dottedradial lines.

It is necessary that gas should be admitted to burners in advance of thecompressed air, in order that it' may be ignited; and ignition liseffected by the constant flame 23 illustrated in Fig. 2.

25 represents the driving shaft of the machine from which movement iscommunicated to the intermediate vertical shaft -27 through the mediumof the beveled gear Wheels 29 and 30; and rotary motion is transmittedfrom the said vertical shaft to the central shaft 3 by means of thepinion 3l and the gear Wheel 32.

It is desirable to feed the cans to be capped to the can supports 4 bymechanical means, and to this end, a

y'so

44 is an endless conveyer belt (see Figs. 1 and 2) the upper lay ofwhich passes between the table 35 and the disk 43 above it, as shown inFig. l 45 is a deflector which switches uncapped cans from the endlessconveyor belt 44 to the pockets p in the disk 43 and guides them whileseated on the table 35 to the can supports 4', and 47 a second deectorto return the cans to the pocketed disk and the table 35 after thecapping operation. A third deflector 49 serves to remove the capped cansfrom the pocketed disk and the table 35 and return them to the conveyorbelt `which discharges them tosonie convenient point.

The formation and length of the deflector 45, and the distance of thecircumference of the pocketed disk from the line described by the axesof the cans in their rotation around the central shaft are such thatcans of a certain diameter are placed vertically of the can supports asshown in Fig. 2.

50, 50 are weighted cap holders (see Fig. 5) adapted to have anup-and-down movement in the frame 9, and extend downward through andcentrally of the annular burners 10,'and they are provided with looseends q which rotate with the cans in'the capping operation.

51 is a cam ring fastened to the upper surface of the table l, andsituated under the fixed toothed plate 7 upon which rest the ends of thestems c of the can supports 4. The height of the cam ring 51 above thetable l fora circumferential distance indicated-by the dotted linebetween C and A in Fig. 2, is such that tlr'e upper surface of the cansupports directly over it are flush with the table 35, while theremainder of the ring is con-` siderably higher. The stems of the.supports upon reaching the higher portion of the camring, Vcause thesupports to rise and bring the cans seated upon them into contact withthe weighted holders which hold the j cap in place.

52 is a vessel containing soldering fluid, attached to one end of alever 54 loosely fulcrumed to theI upper end of the shaft 37, andprevented from rotating with the shaft by means of an arm 53 the baserof which is fastened to the djef'lectors 45 and 47, as shown in Fig. 2.

55 is a bar extending from the lever 54 with its end resting on the disk43 which has twelve projections s arranged in a circle as shown in Figs.l. and 2 and which in the rotation of the disk successively lift the rodand cause the vessel 52 to descend.

56 is a siphonic pipe leading from the vessel 52 to a position directlyover the can which has just entered a pocket in the disk 43 as shown inFig. 2, and at the end of the pipe is a valve chamber 57 which receivessoldering fluid from the vessel 52. I

Into the lower head of the chamber 57 is screwed a pipe t having theannu'lar hollow head 59 at its end. The discharge from the annular headis by means of minute holes w. The stem 'v of the valve 60 in thechamber 57 projects below the head 59, and as the lever 54 is tripped bythe projections s on the pocketed .disk 43 as before stated, and thevessel 52 lowered, the' stem 'u strikes the center of the can cap andthe valve is momentarily opened which causes a small quantity of thesoldering fluid to be discharged to the crease of the can.

Gl. is a pipe leading from the interior of the vessel 52 to a source ofcompressed air to aid `in thedischarge of the soldering fluid in themanner before described, and (l2 a checkvalve-in the said pipe toprevent the soldering iiuid from being forced up the pipe (Sl shouldthat pipe be disconnected from the compressed air tank. L v

The machine being in motion, the operation of capping cans consists asfollows: A can provided with a cap which may have been previouslytreated at its edges with solder', isplaced on the endless feed belt 44by which it is carried towards the table 35 and the disk r43, and uponreaching them is switched by the deflector 45 into one of the pockets pin the disk, when soldering uid is applied to the cap in the mannerbefore described. It is then carried around on thel'tablo 35, still inContact with the dedector, until it reaches one of the can supports uponwhich it is pushed, and centered thereon by the joint action of thedoflector and the circumferenceof the disk 43, as shown in Fig. 2. Thecan then begins its revolution around the central shaft, and whennearing the position A is lifted until its cap is pressed into contactwith the weighted cap holder; and upon the can reaching position A, gasis turned on which is immediately ignited from the flame 23. Upon aslight further forward movement of the can, compressed air is admittedto and mingled with the gas in the burner and an intensely hot Haineproduced which plays upon the caps until the can reaches position B whenthe flame is extinguished by the stoppage of the gas supply. The'flow ofcompressed air however, is not stopped and serves to cool the can untilf. l the.can reaches position C when the can is switched again to thetable 35 and into a pocket in the disk 43 by means of the deflector 47and discharged through the medium of the deflector 49 to the endlessbelt 44 which carries it away from the machine.

I claim as my invention 1. In a can-capping machine, a rotary tableprovided with a systemcf can supports, combined with burners situatedover the can supports, and apparatus to intermittingly edect theproduction and extinction of u flame at the burners during theirrevolution about the axis of the table, Substantially us specified.

2. In a can-capping machine, a rotary table, :i system of can supportson the table lwith means to effect their uxiul rotation during therotation of the table. combined with burners which are placed over thesaid supports and move in common therewith, and apparatus to effect theintermittent production and extinction of a flume at the burners duringtheir revolution around the axis of the table, suhstantially asspecified.

3. In a can-capping machine. a rotary table, a system of can supports enthe table with means to eect the rotation of the table, and mechanism toproduce in the can supports a vertical reciprocating movement, combinedwith burners which are placed directly over the said can supports andare revolved in common therewith, apparatus to intermittently admitgasto theburneis, und other apparatus to interinittingly admitcompressed air to the burners inde pendently of that which supplies thegas, und means to ignite the gus at the burners before the admission ofair thereto, substantially as specified.

^ 4. Ina can-capping machine. a rotary table, a system of can supportson the table with means to effect their axial rotation duringl theirrevolution about the axis of the table, and mechanism to produce in thecan supports a vertical reciprocating movement, combined with burnerswhich are placed over the said supports and are revolved' in commontherewith, and apparatus to effect the intermittent production andextinction of alame at the burners during their revolution,substantially as specified, 5. In a can-capping machine, a rotary table,a system ot can supports on the table with meansl to elect their axialrotation during their revolution about tlic axis of the table, andmechanism to produce in the can supports a vertical reciprocatingmovement, combined with burners which are placed directly over the saidsupports and are revolved in common therewith, apparatus to interinttcnyadmit gas to the burners, and other apparatus to admit compressed air toburners independently of that which supplies the gas, and means toignite the gas at the burners before the admission of air thereto,substantially as specified.

G. In a can-capping machine, a rotary table, a system of can supports onthe table with means to etect theiry movement in common with the table,burners placed over the can supports and apparatus' whereby gas isadmitted to the burners and ignited, air forced into the gas before itreaches the burner, the flow of gus cut oft and the air blastdiscontinued, the whole of the said operation being performed during onerotation of the table, substantially as specified.

endless conveyor 7. In a can-capping machine, a rotary table carryingcan supports combined with a rotary disk having pockets, an belt uponwhich cansb are placed, a de Hector to switch the cans from the conveyerbelt to pockets in the said disk and push them from the pockets to thecan supports, and means to return the cans from the said can supports tothe pocketed disk and thence to the conveyer belt, substantially asspecified.

8. in a can-.capping machine, a rotary table carrying can supports, aconveyor -belt on which the uncapped cans are placed, and' a pocketeddisk to remove the cans from the conveyer belt and transfer them to thecan supports, combined with apparatus to apply soldering uid to the canswhile the same are within the pockets of the disk, substantially asspeciiied. I

9. In a can-capping machine, a rotary table carrying can supports, aconveyer belt on which the uncapped cans are placed, and a pocketed diskto remove`the cans from the conveyer belt andftransfer them to the cansupports, com bined with apparatus to apply soldering duid to the cansbefore the same are seated on the said supports, substantially asspecified.

EDWARD J. JUDGE.

Witnesses THOMAS G. HULL, WM. T. I-Iowanp.v

